Not impressed.
Oh where do I start?
Ok 1st off this is the third halogen oven I have had so I am not exactly 'new' to how they should be.
The first one I had was 'inherited' and was very useful but on the small side for what I wanted so, when that one expired I purchased my 1st VonShef halogen oven.
This had a lift off lid and a stand in which to place the lid whist pursuing evasive bits of food. The handle on the lid broke after a few months and shockingly could not be repaired OR replaced.
That led to my decision to purchase a hinged version of the same capacity because, don't get me wrong on this, it cooked & it cooked very well.
OK so VonShef take 2.
First off it was a joy to use purely because the lid was hinged and therefore captive so no handle to break off & no burnt wrist or fingers whilst stashing the lid.
From the start I was a little bit wary of the potential longevity of the oven as the whole support & surround flexed rather alarmingly when lifting the lid, especially when it was hot.
I also found that when extracting the extender ring to increase the capacity that although it was cleverly stored around the main glass bowl it was a real struggle to extract it without (potentially) ripping off the little white silicone nipples that brace & protect the bowl when in use.
Also there was a tendency for the whole unit to tip backwards whist extracting the extender ring due to the weight of the lid.
(Extracting the ring would be much easier with a second pair of hands to brace the unit whilst doing this. Either that or put the whole lot on the floor, squatting down & grip the base between your knees.)
Once the unit was reassembled and the lid is in its higher position the flexing of the base & support becomes even more pronounced.
I never once opened the lid with it in the higher position without bracing the support with one hand before hauling the lid up with the other, and believe me, it flexes a lot.
OK - that is the flexing issue.
Cleaning. Dishwasher or by hand. Do NOTfollow the 'instructions' of adding water & washing liquid to the oven and running the 'cleaning cycle'.
A) Hot dishwashing solution stinks. B) The stink will remain & will taint your food. C) You will have to remove the glass bowl to remove the solution and wash out the residual gunk anyway.
Cooking.
Not as good as the two I had in the past especially if the oven is full.
I like to fill the oven & cook several items at once, which, if we are honest about this, is exactly how these things are advertised & claimed to work.
Chips/wedgies/hash-browns or whatever on the lowest rack on the 'chip tray' chicken bits, fish, sausages, dinosaur steaks on the higher rack.
Should work right?
Nah.
I found that things I had cooked successfully before took twice as long in this oven & whatever was in the lowest section was not cooked when trying to use the oven to capacity.
Even if whatever is on the bottom is part cooked first it will still not cook in the 'allotted time' with anything on top.
Whatever is on top will burn & dry out unless you cover it or wrap it in foil.
The temperature gradient when cooking on more than one level is so extreme that with the thermostat set at 200 degrees the lower section of the oven is barely hand hot when the items at the top are smoking like Thomas The Tank Engine.
Like I said, I am not new to cooking my food in one of these things so am already aware that they do not get as hot as a conventional oven despite what the thermostat says. I am also aware that the halogen ring will crisp items that are close to the top if they are not covered.
(Never EVER use a halogen oven to cook pop-corn. Ever! That is a tale for another time & was not in this oven but the warning stands)
The final straw came when part way through cooking a mixture of carrots, corn & peas (in the lowest section) with both chicken and fish portions covered in foil on the higher rack that the heating element (halogen lamp) after a grand total of 38 days (with about 25 hours of usage). I was left with a partially warm pile of veg, two barely de-frosted chicken portions & ditto for the fish.
Not a happy bunny.
It gets worse.
Upon contacting the supplier requesting a new element/lamp (as opposed to shipping the whole lot back to them for repair) I was somewhat stunned to be informed that replacement lamps were no longer available for the oven so it would have to be replaced in its entirety.
Pathetic!
This specific type is new THIS YEAR to the market. How can spares be "No longer available"?!?
So disappointing & does, to be honest, justify the bad press regarding Chinese products.
In conclusion. - Don't bother with a VonShef.
If you want a halogen oven look at another make (check the VonShef website to be sure as they manufacture under many names). Look for one that has spares available & make very sure to keep your receipt, just in case.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: New